Best Noise Cancelling Earbuds

Noise reduction can occur two ways primarily. First is noise isolation, which is a passive process. Simply put, it is a process of blocking sound physically. This can be done with padding around the headphones such as with over the ear headphones or a tight fit to occlude the ear canal for earbuds. The second option to reduce unwanted noise is active noise cancellation technology. This is achieved by placing a small microphone near the earphone which picks up the surrounding, ambient noise. It then creates a tone that is 180 degrees out of phase with the tone it picks up; acting to cancel it out.

In general, active noise cancellation works best at blocking lower frequency sounds such as the drone of an airplane engine. Passive noise reduction or noise isolation does a better job of blocking higher frequency noise. Therefore, having both means of noise reduction is a good idea.

Over the ear headphones can provide a great audio experience. However earbuds are preferred by some consumers because they are less conspicuous and bulky. They are more portable and great for travel. While over the ear headphones provide the best noise isolation as they cup around the entire ear, in-ear models (or earbuds) can also provide good passive noise reduction as they block the ear canal well when the fit is right.

On this page, you will find noise cancelling earbuds. These are headphones that fit in the ear and offer active noise cancellation technology. Many of them offer multiple sizes of ear tips to help get the fit you need in order to get better noise isolation as well.

If you'll be listening at home, a good pair of over-the-ear noise canceling headphones can be a good choice. They are comfortable and provide a superior audio exprience. However, if you want something you can also take on the go, earbuds are clearly the better option. Before choosing a pair of noise cancelling earbuds there are a few things to consider.

Sound

Sound is most often the primary characteristic you should consider. These devices are small, but having a bit of extra power can assure you get the sound quality and volume you want. 13.mm drivers are going to be more powerful than 9mm drivers. The best way to determine the sound quality is to listen to the earbuds connected to your device in the store. If this isn't an option, searching for current customer reviews online is a good alternative.

Noise Cancelling Effectiveness

Noise cancelling earbuds generally report their noise cancelling effectiveness as a percentage. For instance, they may report that they effectively block 75% of noise or 94% of noise. Keep in mind this percent is measured at a given frequency. Thus, they may block 80% of noise at 100dB but less at 80dB or 120dB.

Fit

Fit is important for two reasons. First, comfort matters. For some people in fact, earbuds are too uncomfortable for them to wear, so be sure earbuds in general are something you can tolerate. For many people, earbuds with foam tips are the most comfortable. Of course, the draw back is that they aren't as durable and they need replaced more frequently. Washable caps on the other hand last longer.

The other reason fit matters is for the purpose of sound isolation. The better the fit, the more passive noise reduction you'll get. Then even when you don't have the active noise cancellation feature powered on, you'll still get some of the noise reduction benefits. Flexible tips help but so does having multiple sizes that allow you to choose the one which fits your ear the best.

Battery Life

Noise cancelling earbuds operate using battery power. That means that eventually the batteries will be drained and have to be replaced. You might want to check how much listening time you get from a charge. Longer battery life can mean less ongoing expense and will help you avoid problems with loss of power when you're in the middle of a trip or commute.

Ease of Use

There are a number of convenience features to consider. An airplane adapter, the ability to switch off the noise cancellation feature as desired, and in-line volume and mute functions can be very useful.